Community & Opinions

Galveston’s Elissa sailing to NewYork for 250th celebration

The 1877 “tall ship” Elissa, docked in Galveston Bay, will sail to New York City for the Fourth of July, the Texas Standard reported. The Galveston Historical Foundation purchased the ship in 1979, and it normally serves as a museum.

Love in the time of conflict

C O M M E N T A R Y | SUEJANESULLIVAN@GMAIL.COM “For anything to be good, truly good, there must be love in it. I’m not even sure I know fully what that means, but the older I get, the more I believe it.

2026 Community Calendar

SPUR VISITOR CENTER, 101 Hill Street at Burlington Avenue, is operated by the Spur Area Chamber of Commerce and open during regular hours Tuesday–Saturday. Visitors seeking information on the area may email spurchamber@gmail.com or call (806) 271-3097.

Early voting begins Feb. 17

TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION AUSTIN— Early voting in the March 3 primary begins Monday, Feb. 17 and concludes on Friday, Feb. 27. A full slate of contested races will be on the ballots in both Republican and Democratic primaries. The deadline to request a mail ballot is Feb.

Public and Civic Meetings Coming Up

FILING DATES FOR SCHOOL, CITY, AND COUNTY ELECTIONS IN TEXAS ELECTION IN TEXAS Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 SPUR SENIOR CENTER OF SOUTH DICKENS COUNTY serves a noon meal Tuesday through Thursday.

2026 Community Calendar

SPUR VISITOR CENTER, 101 Hill Street at Burlington Avenue, is operated by the Spur Area Chamber of Commerce and open during regular hours Tuesday–Saturday. Visitors seeking information on the area may email spurchamber@gmail.com or call (806) 271-3097.

Comptroller distributes more than $18,000 to Dickens County, nearly $4,000 to Kent in Jan. 2026

AUSTIN— Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock said Feb. 2 that state sales tax revenue totaled $4.6 billion in January, 7.1 percent more than in January 2025. The majority of January sales tax revenue is based on sales made in December and remitted to the agency in January.

At least 11 dead in state after winter storm

AUSTIN— At least 11 people have died in Texas, nearly half of them children, after Winter Storm Fern swept the state last week, the Texas Standard reported. Among those killed were three young brothers who fell through ice on a private pond near Bonham, about 60 miles northeast of Texas.

Grammys for the grannies

Shed a Little Light Music is language. The world speaks different ones. —SJS My sister Sara and I watched the Grammys this week, one of many awards shows we have watched in our lifetimes. Some people have a guilty pleasure of reality TV shows.

2026 Community Calendar

SPUR VISITOR CENTER, 101 Hill Street at Burlington Avenue, is operated by the Spur Area Chamber of Commerce and open during regular hours Tuesday–Saturday. Visitors seeking information on the area may email spurchamber@gmail.com or call (806) 271-3097.